Rev. Graham still has message as 95th birthday approaches

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In just two weeks, the Rev. Billy Graham turns 95 years old.

Today in Charlotte, his son Franklin Graham said there's a lot that his father still wants to say to the world.

Franklin Graham is releasing a video called "The Cross" and it debuts worldwide Nov. 7 on Billy Graham's birthday.

"At 95, his message on the cross is the same as he preached 30 years ago," Franklin Graham said.

He said there are challenges to sharing that message now that didn't exist when his father was younger.

He said many of them are simply related to his father's age and fragile health.

"Some days he'd wake up and he'd say 'I don't want to film today.' Well daddy, the crew's here," Franklin Graham said. "They're out there and all set up and makeup lady's here."

His father would say, "Yeah, but I don't want to do it today, OK?"

Despite days like that, he said his father very much wants to continue sharing the gospel.

Franklin Graham admits he didn't expect his father would live this long and remembers his 90th birthday party.

"He invited everybody back for his 95th," Franklin Graham said. "I kind of smiled and chuckled, never dreaming he'd make it to 95. Now, he's moving the goalpost and he's now going to invite everybody back to his 100th birthday."

The new video is part of a national effort called "My Hope America." The Graham Organization is asking families, churches and neighbors to watch it together on Nov. 7.